Thirteen more drabbles
by Madhumalati
Summary: Another set of thirteen drabbles for Hiei and Kurama. Theme 7: Tell. Kurama is a thief. Hiei tends to forget this.
1. Fire and Ice

A/N: so here are the next thirteen drabbles. The first set can be found separately. I've decided to shuffle the prompts around this time for better impact. This chapter is for everyone who reviewed 13 drabbles. _Fire and ice_ _Theme: #11 – Power_

Battle, to most people, was not the time to appreciate aesthetics.

Hiei, however, was not most people.

He thought, as he watched Kurama battle Touya, that even if he was a plant wielder, even if his natural element was earth, as Hiei's was fire and Yusuke's air, he seemed to belong with fire more than solid, stable, unchanging earth. From his physical form, too filled with colour, glowing too bright to be real, to his style of fighting, quicksilver adaptation, he was nothing like the element he represented.

This was a battle between fire and ice, and he found himself – on one detached level – fascinated by the contrasts. Touya's fury, Kurama's unemotional response – the raging ice-master, the calm blaze of the redhead's determination. Touya's icy blue hair, Kurama's brilliant crimson mop. It was almost poetic, or so he would have thought if he had been given to poetry.

He had often wondered why he had gravitated naturally towards fire all his life. With his ice ancestry, it would have been simpler to concentrate on that aspect, yet he had chosen to master fire. Kurama had said that it balanced out his personality.

The expressions of one's spirit energy were a reflection of what lay within; contrary to most people's beliefs, Hiei had no fire demon blood in him. His rage and hatred had led him to fire, he thought; but Kurama had told him that everything contained its opposite within it. Then he had laughed, lost in thought, and told Hiei that he should probably master ice as well, to bring out both halves of his soul.

And what, he wondered, could bring out the other half of Kurama's soul? Would it be his fury that manifested, or his discipline? Would it be his humanity, or the youkai buried within, the supernatural being that shone through the too-bright shell?

That was the other half of Kurama's soul, he thought – the unrestrained, angry, unstable fire that Kurama had never shown in his life, the fire of his heart, mirror and anti-self to the calm clear ice of his mind.

The unrestrained, angry, unstable fire, Hiei realised, that he himself represented.

He stilled his thoughts, displeased at the direction they were taking, opened his eyes and watched the other melding of fire and ice fighting for his life.


	2. Unification

_Unification _ _Theme: #9 - Dance_

Spin, hook, block, punch, dodge.

A straight hit to Kurama's stomach, controlled to perfection to become a featherlight touch to white-clothed skin, just enough to be sensed and seen. Lingering long enough for both of them to understand that it could have been a killing blow.

Palm sideways to the centre of his chest in reply, duck backwards as a punch drives past his head, flip, try to swipe his ankles out, legs twining neatly to trap his own. Twist while falling, both of them off-balance for a second before Kurama springs upright, steps to avoid Hiei's leg sweeping out to hit his kneecaps. A second's a year in combat, and before his other foot touches the ground Hiei's up, punch to his stomach, block, chest, block, stomach, block a kick from Kurama, and have no way to block the fist that taps against his jaw, not at the speed he's restricted himself to; he hates kicking in fights and Kurama loves to use it to catch him at awkward moments.

Hiei grins, wild and vicious, and ups the speed a little. His next punch bloodies Kurama's lip, a stain of red against pale skin and white teeth. Kurama snarls, a surprisingly canine sound, and attacks – still not too fast – Hiei dodges effortlessly, backs away, makes sure to catch his eye as he slowly licks the blood off his knuckles. Green-gold eyes flare, and Hiei honestly doesn't see the next blow coming, a full spinning kick that he turns to avoid on instinct alone, instinct honed from years of knowing Kurama as well as he knows himself. Thick red hair blinds him, and hands close infinitely delicate around his throat for a millisecond before they let go, a nail leaving a razor-thin line of red on his throat, and he whirls away and back, attacking, defending, speeding up until it's all instinct, blind and basic, the drive to survive, forgetting everything but the battle, and he can hear Kurama laughing, low and joyful, utterly inhuman in how insane he sounds, and his mouth twists up in mirroring delight and–

A palm, raised and flat, the prearranged 'halt' gesture. Hiei stops. Fist less than an inch away from the hand Kurama holds up to stop it. Bodies half-twisted past each other in preparation for contact that will never occur.

Hiei withdraws his fist, straightens – his speed is that of an average human again. But after the last few minutes it's so slow, so slow. They're taking forever to untangle themselves from each other…even though they're not even touching. Kurama tosses his hair back over one shoulder. Inhales deeply, visibly regaining himself. They're both breathing a little harder than the exertion warrants.

Kurama looks sideways at where Yusuke and Kuwabara are standing. Their mouths are hanging open, slightly, eyes wide. Stunned into silence. He looks back at Hiei. It's a shock to meet his eyes, so brilliant with lust and bloodlust, pure and open. So beautiful.

'And that, Yusuke,' Kurama says, as if completing a sentence, gaze still locked with Hiei's, 'is how the demons dance.'


	3. Amusement Park YYH style

_Amusement park YYH style_ _Theme: #5 - Quirky _

Dragging the gang to an amusement park proved to be one of Yusuke's more entertaining ideas.

Yusuke was in his element at the paintball games, and Keiko proved to be an excellent shot, surprising all of them. Hiei chose to target Kurama for most of his paintballs, probably because the fox had shamelessly manipulated him into sitting next to Yukina on the way there. Yukina won the game, mostly because Keiko and Kuwabara were too nice to hit her, Hiei didn't go near her at all, Kurama was busy fighting off Hiei, and Yusuke was enjoying himself too much to guard against the koorime's attacks.

The paintball incident ended with Kurama trying unsuccessfully to wash the paint out of his hair; in the end, he simply used his powers to turn the whole colourful mess bright blond.

Yukina discovered a passion for the rollercoasters, and Kuwabara, being a gentleman, escorted her on every single one. Which resulted in Hiei sitting behind them on the rides scowling at the lovebirds, and Kurama snickering beside him. Bets were evenly divided on whether Hiei's pale green hue indicated that he was going youkai or going to be sick.

The indoor pool would have been more amusing, except that Yukina swallowed water and began to hiccup, and every 'hic' froze the water around her solid. Kurama suggested that Hiei stand next to her, defreeze the water before anyone noticed, and let Yukina enjoy herself.

This suggestion was not well received.

A break for snacks went off less than spectacularly; Hiei, sulking, ordered tremendous amounts of everything expensive and mooched off Yusuke and Kuwabara, grinning viciously. Kurama had vanished, last seen heading for the casino near the fairground entrance. Apparently he thought he had extracted sufficient amusement from the situation.

Yusuke suggested the Tunnel of Love in the spirit of suicide, which he nearly succeeded in from Hiei's glare alone. Yukina was cutely oblivious (although there was a glint in her eyes that reminded him unpleasantly of Kurama Being Sweet). Kuwabara was extremely enthusiastic.

Yusuke offered to go find Kurama so Hiei wouldn't have to feel lonely in the tunnel.

This was even less well received.

Taking a hint from Yusuke snogging Keiko rather enthusiastically in front of them, Kuwabara kissed Yukina on the ride.

The results were interesting, to say the least; the redhead's hair froze clean solid, the air around them dropped several degrees and the cheesy glow-in-the-dark hearts around them burst into flame.

Yusuke wasn't sure which twin to blame for what, so he settled for both.

They finally turned up at the entrance again, and spotted the still-blond Kurama heading away from the casino at a fair clip with a sizable stack of money in his hands. An outraged yell rose up from behind him, and several men in dark suits, rather heavily armed, were suddenly chasing him. Kurama was grinning madly as he ran.

In the interest of prudence, they mutually decided to ignore that.

Hiei, of course, vanished the moment they left the park, apparently feeling that he had done his duty as a chaperone. He was, Yusuke noticed vaguely, heading in the same direction Kurama had vanished in.

He suddenly wondered whether the paint really wouldn't wash off, or if Kurama had planned this all along, so nobody remembered a redhead at the park, and decided not to clue them in.

It wasn't his business anyway, he decided. Reikai was hardly going to go down on the fox for ripping off a small-time casino.

Life, he decided, was looking good.


	4. A Sufficiently Talented Fool

_A sufficiently talented fool _ _Theme: #3 – Glow_

'…you're getting laid!' Yusuke cheered.

Kurama cringed as all the customers of Yusuke's restaurant – a lot of schoolgirls, why were there always schoolgirls? – turned as one to stare at him. 'You know, a simple 'Hi' would have sufficed.'

'Never mind _them_,' Yusuke said magnanimously, making a wild gesture with his ladle.

'Yusuke,' Kurama said, as quiet and unobtrusive as possible, 'if you could just give Keiko these books back I'll…'

He found himself being herded upstairs by Yusuke, ladle and all. 'Yusuke, really…' he protested.

'Nothing doing,' Yusuke said and swept him through the Yukimura household into Keiko's bedroom, which was Yusuke's territory as well now that they were engaged.

'Oh, hi,' Keiko said, slightly puzzled.

'Kurama got laid,' Yusuke announced gleefully.

'Details,' Keiko said, laying her book down with purpose.

'Well?' Yusuke asked expectantly.

'No,' Kurama said firmly.

'It was Hiei, wasn't it.' Yusuke's eyebrows waggled.

Kurama looked as if he was considering pulling a Hiei and diving out the window.

'C'mon, you can tell me, I'm your best friend now you're hooked up with him.'

Kurama sighed. 'Are you remotely capable of discretion?'

'Hey,' Yusuke said, wounded. 'I define discreet. They have my picture next to 'discreet' in the dictionary.'

'Well, then, yes, yes it was. …is it that obvious?'

'You're practically glowing,' Keiko piped up helpfully.

'Can I go now?' Kurama asked plaintively. He wasn't really used to the kind of friendship Yusuke took for granted – the only other close friend he had was Hiei, who would certainly not have subjected him to this level of torment. Aside from the occasional stabbing bit.

'Nope,' Yusuke said, grinning. 'You owe me for the mirror thing.'

'That was years ago!'

'No statute of limitations on saving a life, fox-boy.'

'…Keiko's really rubbing off on you.'

Yusuke smirked. 'There's a fair bit of cash riding on this, so…who was on top?'

The window was looking more attractive by the second.

------------------------------------------

'So, Hiei,' Yusuke said, slinging an arm around the jaganshi's shoulders with his trademark obnoxious-as-demonly-possible smirk. 'Heard you got laid recently. How was it?'

------------------------------------------

For several days after, the town's citizens were puzzled by the perfectly man-shaped hole in a solid steel foundation beam in the city centre car park opposite a high-rise apartment.

Police, when asked whether it was a practical joke, only replied that if so, it was done by a guy with a really large blowtorch. 


	5. Perspicacity

_Perspicacity _ _Theme: # 13 – Desserts_

A/N: okay, a reasonably fluffy one for the holidays. Happy New Year, guys!

'What's that?'

Hiei jumped as Mukuro leaned over his shoulder, hastily shoving the bright pink candy he was studying into his mouth. 'What's what?'

'That, Hiei,' she said pointedly.

'It's a sweet,' he said.

'I know that. It doesn't look local.'

''snot,' he said indistinctly through the mouthful of candy. ''rama bagdit fomme.'

'That's not very polite, you know,' Mukuro said, lips twitching.

Hiei tucked it into one corner of his mouth. 'I wasn't raised in the best of society.'

'So what did your kitsune friend make it for you for?'

Hiei frowned. 'Why is this so interesting?'

'I'm a matchmaker at heart,' Mukuro deadpanned.

'You're acting like it was a courting gift.'

'It wasn't?' She plopped down on the sofa next to her beleaguered heir. 'Tell me, when did he give it to you?'

'What's it to you?'

'Not even for a double bonus next year?'

Hiei scowled. 'Fine.' He scowled some more. Mukuro waited patiently. 'We went for a walk,' he started reluctantly. 'Some idiotic plant or another he was looking for. Stupid fox dragged me through the woods all day, and I swear he was leading me in circles because we were only three kilometres from where we started when we found the plant.' Hiei chewed thoughtfully on the candy. 'Then he joined me on patrol and _wouldn't _stop talking, even when we were fighting. At least I got a couple of good meals out of it.' He had to stop and take a breath after that. It was the most he'd said at once in a few months.

Mukuro grinned.

'What?'

She began to laugh.

'_What_?' Hiei demanded irascibly.

'He's courting you, you fool,' she said, regaining her composure.

Hiei choked on the candy. His comically surprised face set her off again.

'Ehwhat?'

'Courting you,' Mukuro said slowly. 'He took you out, fed you, talked to you, fought beside you, gave you gifts. You mean you really didn't realise it?'

There was a long silence. Hiei took out another identical pink candy from his pocket and stared at it as if it held some clue as to Kurama's intentions.

With a valiant effort, she restrained herself. 'Well,' she said, getting up, 'I feel quite sorry for Kurama.'

Hiei was still staring at the candy as she walked to the door, but he snapped out of it at the sound of it sliding open. 'Huh?'

'I said, I feel sorry for him,' Mukuro fired over her shoulder. 'He's going to have the most socially impaired mate in all three worlds. Still, I suppose it's his choice.'

Whatever reply Hiei could have made was cut off by the door closing behind her.


	6. An expression of trust

_An expression of trust_ _Theme: #4 - Fear_

The true irony of this situation, Kurama thought with bizarre clarity, was that his greatest act of betrayal was also his greatest act of trust.

The way things seemed to slow down in battle, he saw the sword so clear, so smooth, as if he had Hiei's accelerated sight. So clear, unstained, sliding through him.

I'm sorry, he thought of saying, but this was his penance, and the sheer blinding pain – blinding, how ironic, considering what he had in mind – drove everything from his mind except a muffled grunt of agony as the Shadow Sword impaled him, a clean strike, he'd angled himself so it wouldn't hit his vitals but that was always a matter of chance. His head bowed with the pain, an instinctive reaction, and then he looked up again, more out of willpower than necessity.

Hiei's eyes were wide and shocked and young. He looked first furious, then horrified, then afraid, then angry again – quicksilver emotions.

Time slid by as slow as a glacier, as slow as the drift of continents or the passing of centuries, and Kurama thought he was grinning, or maybe grimacing from the pain.

Hiei knew, of course. Kurama knew most of his best friend's weaknesses, just as he knew most of Kurama's, and he must have understood what Kurama planned even as he stabbed him. Still, he was frozen with shock, still moving forward out of inertia.

This was the crucial moment, of course. An inch this side or that, and Kurama would be dead, and they both knew it. If Hiei wanted to kill him, wanted retribution for this second betrayal, he could have it, here and now, and Kurama waited for the sword to twist, to kill, resigning himself to it and blocking out the pain for the second it would take him to blind Hiei and give Yusuke a slim chance at life. It would take only a twitch of his hand – Hiei was a master of precision kills.

And deep within, that faint hope, the hope that he would live, fluttered like wings in his throat.

There was no twist.

The sword went through, clean through, a horrific wound but one he could survive. Hiei's eyes were still wide, and he thought _I'm sorry_ again, but again he couldn't say a word. Apologies were nothing in the face of this.

He had trusted Hiei not to kill him – on some level, he had, because Kurama never risked his life without reason. He had trusted Hiei, and Hiei had fulfilled that trust, and in repayment all Kurama could do was betray him a second and more devastating time.

He threw his hand forward, his blood staining the jagan, blocking its power.

This was a debt, he knew, and one shattering enough that he would need a lifetime to repay it, and more. There was nothing that could pay for a life but a life.

He just hoped they would both survive the night.


	7. Playing to win

_Playing to win_ _Theme: #6 - Avarice_

Kurama's sin of choice was pride, but avarice followed close behind. There were levels to it, and he kept it leashed for the most part, but it slipped past all his defenses.

Part of it was the desire to acquire. The desire that made him steal, that made him yearn for the forbidden, for what he was, as he saw it, denied. This desire made him a legend, a name whispered over fires at night, written and sung and still eclipsing every rumour of his exploits.

Another part was the desire to hoard. It was why he so treasured his human mother, why he would go so far to keep her safe, alive, with him, belonging to him. This desire made him a formidable fighter, a frightening enemy.

The last part was the desire to possess; and this most dangerous part was revealed only in secret, only with Hiei. It expressed itself in touch and word and thought, dragging Hiei's every thought, every word, every touch towards himself – his, only his, always his. He kept this most secret of all, and as a consequence, it ruled him more than the others did, for secrets were power where Kurama was concerned.

To his conquest of Hiei he brought the talents he had honed over centuries in unconscious anticipation – deadly sharp focus, perceptivity; understanding, sensuality and companionship in dizzying succession, the ability to keep his enemies off-balance serving to keep Hiei constantly guessing, always attracted. This, more than anything, was the purest and most arrogant form his avarice took – to both own that which could never be leashed, and to make it wish to remain with him in spite of it.

Kurama was not one who believed in permitting his opponents any relief or showing them mercy – he played only to win. As with all things he truly coveted, there was nothing he would not do to attain it. And he was not in the habit of failing.


	8. Catalyst

_Catalyst__Theme: #2 - Follow Me_

It was ironic that after being partners for years and years, it was Yusuke who became an unwitting catalyst for them not killing each other painfully at the first possible opportunity. 

For Kurama, Yusuke was something of a novelty. He'd never experienced an honest friendship, however nebulous and erratic, in his life; Yusuke's casual assumption of friendship caught him off-guard, all the more for its transparent sincerity. Yusuke seemed larger than life in a world that had always seemed to Kurama to be constricting and hypocritical.

For Hiei, Yusuke was an enigma. The curious juxtaposition of strength and emotion, things Hiei had regarded as mutually exclusive, and how effective it proved, made him watch Yusuke, wonder how he ever succeeded in reconciling the opposing aspects of his nature. And to be given trust, loyalty and even a backhanded sort of affection was the stuff of dreams he had not dared to have.

In the end, it was this that drew them together, over that first strained mission with the Four Saint Beasts, the months after that, and the concentrated hell that was the Dark Tournament. That common desire to watch over Yusuke, to understand him – in the end, to be worthy of him. He was the leader and friend they had sought so long, and somewhere in all that chasing after him, trying desperately to keep up with his erratic brilliance, they found that the cracks in their own relationship had been mended by common purpose. 

Someday, Kurama thinks he'll have to thank Yusuke for it. 


	9. Heartbeat

**__**

Shield

__

Theme: #8 – Heartbeat

A/N: inspired by something Ani Toguro says right before Kurama mindfucks him for all eternity. No, I am not dead. (cough) I moved, joined classes, did something about getting a career, lost the password to this account...you know. The works. Regular updates will resume, and this is me crawling back into my sheepish corner right now.

'Your shields are the best I've seen.'

Kurama arched his brow. 'Why were you trying to enter my mind without my permission?'

Hiei scowled at him. 'That's beside the point. How do you do that?'

'Do what?' Kurama asked, playing innocent.

'Ani Toguro.'

Kurama stiffened. 'Yes?'

'How did you beat a telepath that strong?'

'He was overconfident. I let him read what he wished in my mind.'

'How can you have that much control over your thoughts? They're as involuntary as a heartbeat.'

'I don't have one,' Kurama said with a grin. 'This body, it's possessed. Not entirely mine. It gives me a control over its functions that I would not have if it were natural to me. It's an advantage both physical and mental.'

Hiei pondered that. It made sense, oddly enough. 'You're all about control, aren't you.'

'Always,' Kurama said clinically. 'Of course, it doesn't help you that your telepathy has all the subtlety of a brick to the head.'

Hiei glared at him.

Kurama leaned over and placed a palm on Hiei's chest, eyes closed in concentration. Hiei stiffened, but let him.

'I'd almost forgotten that,' Kurama said. 'The feel of a heartbeat at rest. Not mine, but it's quite familiar. I like it.'

'You really are crazy,' Hiei said wonderingly.

'…I'll pretend you didn't say that.'


	10. Thief

**_Thief_**

**_Theme: #7 – Tell_**

'You're watching that gem again,' Kurama said quietly.

Hiei slipped it back over his head. 'Yeah, so?'

'You only do that when something's wrong.' He leaned against the other side of the window ledge Hiei was sitting on; for once, Hiei's perch was wide enough to be comfortable.

'Go away,' Hiei said bluntly.

'This jewel of yours,' Kurama murmured, watching it sway on his chest with each breath. 'It's really very beautiful when it catches the light.' He moved closer, into the half-circle of Hiei's body. 'Do your tears form gems as well?'

Hiei flinched, from the words and the intimacy. 'None of your business.'

'I'm a thief. Everything's my business. So do they?'

'No,' Hiei muttered. 'Fine? They don't.'

Kurama nuzzled into his throat briefly, an almost animal gesture of affection, and Hiei huffed. The fox swung his legs up, shifting until he lay between Hiei's legs, back resting against his chest, and Hiei reflexively wrapped his arms around him. There was silence for almost an hour as they lay together.

'Pity,' Kurama murmured.

'Hnh?' Hiei said fuzzily. He'd nearly fallen asleep.

'I can't help but wonder. What colour would they have been?' He reached up, gripped Hiei's face with one hand, looked at him thoughtfully, upside down. 'Ice-blue? But that's not your power. Black for your hair?' he ran his fingers over it, an unsettling caress. 'Red for your eyes, for fire? Would they reflect light or absorb it?'

'Why is this so interesting?'

Kurama sighed. 'Because it's you.' He slid the teargem in his hand thoughtfully between finger and thumb, assesing it with a jeweler's eye.

Hiei stared, and snatched it back. 'When did you get that?' He fumbled at his throat and was displeased to find the leather cord neatly untangled. 'I was watching your hands all the time.'

'I undid it with my teeth,' Kurama said smugly. 'When I kissed your neck. You really have to pay more attention.'

Hiei itched to punch him, but that would have disturbed them, and the warmth was comfortable.

'What's so interesting about me?' he asked instead.

'Nothing,' Kurama pouted. 'You're an uninteresting person.'

'Then you're an idiot.' Hiei closed his eyes again.

'In answer to your question, I wondered what it might take to get a gem from you. It would have been quite a challenge to steal from you, since I can't imagine you'd simply give me one. And I wanted to know the truth.'

'I haven't cried in centuries.'

'Neither have I.' He toyed with Hiei's scarf, slipping his fingers under it, brushing over his collarbone, fastening the gem back on. His green eyes glowed eerily in the darkness. 'It's a pity I can't get a gem of yours. I suppose I'll have to settle for stealing you instead.'

'You idiot,' Hiei retorted, strangely exhilarated by the look in his eyes. 'I'm not something you can steal.'

'If you say so, Hiei,' Kurama said lazily, shutting his eyes. 'If you say so.'


End file.
